Oscillating variably lighted letter sign



5 sheets-sheet 1 y 2. Si... .MJ 31 INVENTOR l 'A l f .707m ZUPaferson Jr:-

July 22, 1952 J. w. PATTERSON, .1R

OSGILLA'LING VARIABLY' LI'GHTED LETTER SIGN Filed 0G11.' 18, 1949 July 22, 1952 J. w. PATTERSON, JR

OSCILLATING VARIABLY LIGHTED LETTER SIGN Filed oci. 18, 1949 sheet Till/lill]llllllllllllllllllllllln ll/llllllll/llllllIlIIIlIl/Il INVENTOR -J'ohh ZU. Paierson .71:

Bv I y ATTonNEvs July 22, 1952 J. w. PATTERSON, JR 2,603,898

OSCILLATING'VARIABLY LIGHTED LETTER SIGN Filed oct. 18, 1949 s sheets-sheet 5 I INvl-:NToR

-J'ohn ZZ). Pafrson J1:

'ATTORNEYS f Patented July 22, 1952 A-UNITED YsrA'rEs PATENT oFFlcE-f osoILLATING VARIABLY LIGHTED a LETTER SIGN y v John W. Patterson, Jr.,'sacr'an'1ent0, Calif.

Application October 18, 1949, Serial No. 121,976

. l This invention is directed to, and it is a primaryy object to provide, a novel illuminated sign for commercial use, such as on storesV or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an illuminated sign which includes upstanding three-dimensional indicia, such as letters spelling a store name, and novel apparatus operative tol simultaneously limpart turning motion to such indicia. and to illuminate the latter with light of continuously varying color whereby the sign is leye'catching and attractive in appearance.

.A further object of the inventionis to provide anilluminated sign which includes novel mechalnism for actuating the base plate and adjacent coaxial color wheel which corresponds to each indicia of the sign; each base plate, which supports a corresponding indicia, preferably oscillating through a part-circle, while the related color wheelpreferably constantly rotates in one directiononly,v l A still further object of the invention is to provide an illuminated sign, having turningand continu'lusly` variablyv colored indicia, wherein each 'such indicia may comprise, as a modicati-on, a plurality of facing but spaced, upstanding laminations; the arrangement being such that all of the'daminations are color illuminated on corresponding faces whereby a very unique additional effect is attained.

It is also an object of the invention vto provide an illuminating sign yof the type described, wherein'each of the turning indicia is faced with nuorescent 'light tubes, and a control circuit is provided for on-off switching,

illuminates such indicia, and the fluorescent tubes on the latter. The unique appearance of the si'g'fn is thus further enhanced. Y 'An additional object of the invention is to provide an illuminated sign which is designed for aseffand economy of manufacture; ready installation;` -and'long'life with a minimum of maintenance and repair.

Astill vv further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable illuminated sign, andv one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed. A

` These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specication and claims.

l 1 Inthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of the sign as mounted for use on a store; the upstanding indicia of thesign facing forward, and the store front being shown somewhat diagrammatically.

in predeterminedv order, vfor the light source which variably-colorz Fig'. 2 is a similar view, but shows the indicia as simultaneously part-turned in one direction as during operation of the sign. Y 5 f 1 Fig. 3 is an enlarged, 'fragmentary sectional elevation of the actuatingmechanism, especially the driving connections with the base'plate and color wheel corresponding to one of the indicia. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, somewhat diagrammatic, of said actuating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the color wheels, detached.

Fig. 6 is-a perspective view of one of the laminated form of indicia; Fig. '7 is -an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing the indicia as faced with fluorescent light tubes; the control circuit being diagrammatic, and part of the actuating mechanism being omitted for clarity. Y f

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, and at present to Figs. 1-5 inclusive, the sign assembly is indicated generally at I, and includes a hollow, elongated platform housing 2 affixed to, and projecting forwardly from, a store front 3 or the like at an appropriate elevation forvv viewing. l r

A plurality of indicia, as indicated at 4, upstand in a row along the-platform housing2, and in the present embodiment such indicia 4 are threedimensional or block letters which spell out, for example, the store name. u

`As the structural arrangement in association Awith each indicia I is alike, a description of one such arrangement will suce for all, except as to the common actuating-mechanism, which will hereinafter be described in detail.

- A circular opening 5 is formed in the top 6 of the platform housing 2 below each indicia 4, and a case 1 is suspended-into said housing through lsuch opening, being supported by an annular peripheral ange 8 at the upper end of said case,

A circular pane 9, of glass or other transparent or translucent material, is fitted into the-top of the case 1 as a protective member..

Above the case 'I and pane 9 there is a vertical axis, circular base plate I0 on which the corresponding indicia 4 is secured in a position .exten-ding diametrally of saidbase.

A spindle I is fixed centrally to the base plate In and projects downwardly through an opening in the pane 9, and thence is turnably supported inarotary sleevev I2 journaled in a bearing I3; said bearing being supported in the case by a spider I 4.

'Ihe rotary sleeve I 2v terminates short of the bottom of the vcase 'I, and the spindle II projects end of the rotary sleeve I2, and such color wheel includes a multiplicity of different color segments 2D through which light is adapted to be trans mitted; the color wheel I9 being of a diameter closely approaching that of the pane 9 and base" plate I0.

Adjacent but short of its lower end the rotary sleeve I2 is fitted with a gear 2I, driven by a pinion 22 on a longitudinal shaft 23 in the platform housing 2; thellongitudina'l shaft 23 beingron the opposite side of the spindle IIvr and-sleeve I2 relative to the longitudinal; shaft. i8.; butalso'extending through case i y i .f Y

The longitudinali'shaft Ziiis'constantlyv driven, in one direction, 'from a-reductiongear box 2li actuated by an electric motor 251 The' longitudinal shaftV I8 is oscillated through a predeterminedpart-turn by meansof suitable mechanism connected'between 'the reduction: gear box 24 and said shaft I8. vSuch mechanism," in thepresent' embodiment, comprises a reduction gear box actuated crank 26'and' a parallelcrank ZI on the adjacent end of the shaft Isf; said cranks being connected by a'link 28. The throw ofr the crank 26 is' Vconsiderably less than the throw of thefcrank 21, whereby upona full 'revolution of said crank 2G, the crank 21 will iirstj throw only a vpart-circle in oneldrection and then 'a partcircle in the other direction relative to deadcenter, causing oscillation of the longitudinal shaft I8. When thisloccurs the spindle II and the related indicia 4' are similarly oscillated'. Thus, starting fromVV a position: with the indiciar'il all facing forwardly, as in Fig. l, said indicia oscillate, simultaneously, so asl to rst turn and facein one direction and then turn and face in another direction. Byway of example seeFig; 2. This simultaneous oscillation ofthe indicia l is accompanied by continuously varying lcolor il-` lumination of asfollo'ws:

A light' source, such as an annular, fluorescent tube -29," is mounted in the case 1 directly below each color wheel I9 in concentric surrounding relationto the rotary sleeve I2; such annular, 'uorescenttube 29 being horizontally disposed, andV there being an upwardlyopening; annular, reflector trough 35 mounted directly below said tube.A

,-The corresponding, circular base'plate Iii is formed-in front of each'indicia 4, with an elongated peripheralnotch 3 I, whereby light from the fluorescent vtube 429, which passesA upwardly through the color wheel I9 and pane 9,'project's through the notch 37| and casts upon the face of the indicia L Thus, inr any oscillatory position of each base plate I B and the corresponding indicia '4, light from the tube 29, as variably colored by thel color'wheel I9, projectsy through each notch 3i to constantly maintain the related indi-cial color-illuminated; such color illumination constantly changing by reason of the oscillation of the notched base plate It, together with the rotation of said colorwheel. Y

each thereof, which is accomplished The resultant appearance of the sign is unique and attractive, producing an effect which catches the eye to a much greater extent than a stationary sign with non-varying color illumination.

While it is contemplated in the present embodiment that the indicia i oscillate less than a full circle, it is possible for them to be arranged for full-circle rotation, in which event there would bedp'po'sed peripheral notchessd thatfboth faces 'of the indicia l5 are illuminated.

It will also be recognized that although the present embodiment pertains to an illuminated sign 'wherein the indicia 4 are in a horizontal row, the arrangement may-for example-be arranged in avertical row, or otherwise.

` In Fig. '6 there' is illustrated a modified form of 'Y the indicia. In this modication the indicia, in-

dicated generally at 3,2, is of three-dimensional form, but is made up of a plurality of facing but spaced laminaticns 33; such indicia being mounted on a base plate 3d peripherally notched at 35, as'bef-ore. Howeven'in thisinstance the base Yplate (i A'has :aiseparate opening' or'port 36 therethrough ldirectly below each leg Mofthe indicia. Consequently, not only :is the face oi the indicia 34 variably color-illuminated from the notch 35, but additionally the adjacent faces of the laminations'mare likewise `variably 'colorf illuminated through the portsi". Th'i'sadds'to the unique ornamental appearance of lthesign when it is in operation. A i 1 y A, In Fig. 7 there is aiurther embodiment ofthe invention, and'here' each indicia. 3'I'adap ted .to oscillate as before-is faced withfluorescentlight tubes 38 whose energizingcircuit includes leads (not shown) which run to connection with corresponding slip rings l39 on the related rotary sleeve IIB. The input terminals of the slip rings 391a1e connected to a 'supply circuit @II the slpfrngs 39 corresponding to the several indicia. gl'beng wired in parallel in saidcirouit. v

The annular, fluorescent light tubes y152,. b elow each of the indicia. 3T, for `,variablycolorillumi.- natingthe same as before, are connected in parf allel in a separatesupply circuit 63. .Eachof the supply circuits' lll and .13Y has a rotary inter-v rupter interposed therein, such interruptersbeing indicated at M and 45 respectively, landzfedin conventional manner from a master. supply circuit, as shown. The rotary interrupters are driven from the longitudinal shaftli which rotates "the color .wheels .6-'1, and. are thus` yconstantly actuated. l v

rIt is preierredthat the rotary interrupters-IIII and 45 be set in Vopposition so that the tubes 38, and 42, corresponding to each indiciaA 31, are energized alternately wherebysuch indiciaare rst variably colored by lightprojected from bcloW, and are then face-illuminated.. 1

lWhile alternate energization of. the tubes 38 and y42 is contemplated', Vother combinations `are readily possible. For examplaibygoinitting;one or theother of -the rotary interrupters, either the tubes 38er the tubesY 42 may beconstantly energized, withthefother tubes Vhaving on-oi, or

blinking control. f

While this specication sets forthv in4 detail the present and' preferred constructionzof 'the device, still in practicejsuch deviations from 'such detail may be resorted toas' do not. forma departure from the spirit of the invention, asideiined by the appended claims. Iy I What isY claimed is: v

l. An illuminated sign comprising an iopen topped mounting case, af'verticai spindle jour= naled in the case and extending to the top of thev same, an opaque base plate fixed on the upper end of the spindle, an upstanding sign element iixed on the plate, the latter having an off-center opening in front of the element for the passage of light therethrough, a sleeve turnable on the spindle, a color wheel xed on the sleeve below and adjacent the base plate, the plate being larger than the wheel, a light source in the case below the color wheel, and mechanism to rotate the sleeve and oscillate the spindle.

2. A device as in claim 1, with a protective pane of light-transmitting material over and sealing the open top of the case between the base plate and color wheel; the spindle passing through the pane.

3. A device as in claim 1, in which said mechanism includes a Worm gear on the sleeve, a worm gear on the spindle, worms separately meshing with said gears, parallel shafts on which the Worms are mounted, a motor driven unit applied to the sleeve-driving worm shaft to constantly rotate the same, and a crank and link connection between the shafts.

4. A mechanism, as in claim 3, in which the shafts are on opposite sides of the spindle whereby to enable the worm gears to be close together vertically while maintaining the shafts separated suicient for the mounting of the crank and link unit therebetween.

5. An illuminated sign comprising an exposed upstanding indicia, a iixed opaque housing below the indicia having a circular opening in the top substantially as Wide as the indicia, an opaque base plate on which the indicia is xed disposed directly above the opening, in overlapping relation thereto, said plate having an opening therethrough in front of the indicia, means mounting the plate in the housing for rotation about a vertical axis, an upwardly shining light source in the housing below the plate to direct light through the openings, and actuating mechanism in the housing to turn the plate.

6. A sign as in claim 5, in which the indicia includes a plurality of horizontally spaced facing laminations; the base plate having another opening therethrough directly below the indicia whereby light from said source is directed upwardly between the laminations.

7. A sign as in claim 5, with a constantly rotating color disc in the housing directly below and covering the opening therein.

JOHN W. PATTERSON, J R.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are lo1 record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,707,965 S'cantleburyl Apr. 2, 1929 1,803,598 ICraig May 5, 1931 2,194,238 Weaver Mar. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 256,109 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1926 714,860 France Sept. 14, 1931 

